Charles g



'(No Model.) r 0. G, WILTSE.

ANIMAL TRAP,

No. 257,798. Patented May 9, 1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. WILTSE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ARGUS L. FREEMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,798, dated May 9,1882. Application filed September 29, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom ct may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. WILTSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to traps for killing animals; and it consists in the combination of a spring-knocker, a pivoted catch adapted to engage the spring-knocker, a pivoted detent adapted to engage the catch, and a pivoted bait-holder adapted to engage the detent, so that when the bait-holder is disturbed by the animal the sprin g-knocker is released and strikes the animal, the whole being constructed and arranged as hereinafter more particularly i set forth.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a vertical section. Fig. 2.is a plan or top view.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

The letter A designates the spring-knocker, B the catch, 0 the detent, and D the baitliolder. I

The knocker A is secured to one end of two springs, 3, which are coiled on a bar, 4, and the other end of whichiis connected to a secondary bar, 5, both bars being fixed to a frame, E, secured to a suitable base, F. r

The catch B is hung on a pivot, 6, and is bent approximately to the shape of a book, 7, at one end, whereby it is adapted to engage the spring-knocker A, the latter having a semicircular or other suitable cross-section, while the catch has a too, 8, at the opposite end.

The detent O is hung on a pivot, 9, and is provided with an opening, 10, near one end, adapted to receive the toe 8 of the catch for its engagement therewith, the detent having also a secondary opening, 11, near the opposite end..

The bait-holder D is hung on a pivot, 12, which, as well as the pivots 6 and 9, is fixed to the frame E, and it is provided with a head, 13, at one end, and, being passed through the opening 11 of the detent before being hung iin. its place, it engages the detent by meansof such head. The opening 11is larger than the width of the bait-holder D at that place, al}; lowing the latter to play in the opening, and the lower surface of the head 13,where it bears ,9

on the detent 0,is beveled, so that if the baitholder is vibrated on its pivot 12 the beveled surface of the head rides on the edge of the opening with a tendency to displace the detent, raising its free end. The free end 14 of the bait-holder is pointed and notched for the insertion and retention of the bait.

The springs 3 of the knocker are suitably arranged to force the latter, in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, past or beyond the release the catch B, and the catch in turn releases the knocker A, allowing it to follow the action of its spring 3,so that the knocker strikes the animal, causing it to be killed or stunned.

It will be noticed that the movable parts B O l) of the trap are not permanently connected together, and by this arrangement thereof they are rendered extremely sensitive to any attack on the bait, which obviously is favorable to the correct operation of the trap.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination of a bar, 4, a horizontal knocker, A, hung to springs arranged on said bar, a vertical pivoted catch, B, adapted to engage the kuocker and hold it suspended, a detent, 0, adapted to engage the upper end of the catch, and a pendent bait-holder engaging the l other end of the detent, all substantially inthe manner described.

2. The combination of the knocker A and its springs 3, the pivoted c..tch B, having the hook 7 and toe 8, the pivoted detent 0, having openings 10 11, and the pivoted'bait-holder D, having the head 13, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 

